Eagles big man suspended for one game

MANILA, Philippines – Ateneo de Manila University will miss the height and heft of backup big man Edwin Jason Escueta when it begins its titular showdown with Far Eastern University this Saturday.

The 6-5 Escueta was slapped a one-game suspension for incurring his second unsportsmanlike foul this season – an elbow on Jan Colina in the Eagles’ 68-55 win over Final Four rival Adamson last Sunday.

UAAP commissioner Ato Badolato explained that under league rules, a player who gets two unsportsmanlike fouls during the tournament will have to sit out the team’s next game, in this case the championship opener, as penalty.

Ateneo coach Norman Black said the absence of Escueta (3.2 points per game, 2.7 rebounds per outing) will hurt the Eagles’ interior against FEU’s Aldrech Ramos, Reil Cervantes, Mark Bringas and Pippo Noundou.

“It’s a pretty big concern for us. Jason doesn’t really help in point production but his suspension will hurt us in terms of size and height. We really need bodies against the big men of FEU. But I guess we just have to do the best we can,” said Black.

Unlike Ateneo, FEU will be coming into Game 1 in full force after forward JR Cawaling escaped suspension. Cawaling was disqualified from the game in the Tams’ 69-59 overtime triumph over semis foe La Salle after getting called for an unsportsmanlike foul and a technical in the said game. However, his infraction did not warrant suspension under league rules, which only ban players who are ejected by the referees for committing fouls with “intent to hurt.”